Not sure how I feel about the writing style yet. It contains a lot of short incomplete sentences used for emphasis which I know is more common nowadays but it's a style that seems a bit juvenile to me when it's used as often as it has been so far just in the first 10 pages. I hope it gets toned down a bit as the story continues.

I know this might be too early of a judgement but after hearing from everyone and their mother how amazing this book is, I guess I was expecting more mature prose to go along with this supposedly amazing story.

I love a narrator with a distinct narrative voice and was hoping I'd vibe with this one

I'm really hoping I can shake this off and get invested in the main characters soon.

It's odd that I'm finally invested in these two this far into the book. But I think I'm beginning to appreciate both of their characters

It helps that we get both of their perspectives

Alice Chen, the ride-or-die that you are ♥️

I feel like I've been punched in the gut

Sel's beef with Bree is almost funny. Like he's trying his best to act all big and tough and she's just not having any of it

I gotta say I'm far more invested in Bree's relationship with Alice, her dad, Patricia, and her mom than I am in her relationship with Nick

Maybe it's because I'm a bit older and don't see the appeal with guys like him. Not that he's been anything but kind, mind you. But I really prefer reading about Bree being introduced to her heritage and, by extension, parts of her mother through an older woman who probably shares her heritage. It's just so nice to see her act as a mentor and a sort of mother figure to Bree who has been in such raw pain since her mother's death.

Bree having a genuinely good support system is so fucking refreshing.